Representatives of the Chamber of Exporters and Importers of Perishables reported a month of delay to import Hass avocados from Dominican Republic, because the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG) has not completed phytosanitary studies, which keeps the price high and only allows the presence of the fruit from Chile.
Randall Benavides, president of the group, said the Chilean avocado is not profitable because the price is higher and comes from a longer distance than any other. Therefore, Benavides believes the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE) must carry out risk analysis.
The consumer is one of the most affected by this situation, but also the leading restaurant chains, because some recipes can be made only with Hass avocado,”
explained Benavides.
The opening to the Dominican market was adopted after a meeting that took place in the headquarters of the MAG. Minister Luis Felipe Arauz promised to meet the requirements to import from that market.
Costa Rica sees very little of this variety of fruit, because since May last year, imports from Mexico were banned by the State Phytosanitary Service (SFE), as a preventive measure for the plague known as sunblotch.